A man accused of killing 10 people by driving a van into pedestrians in Toronto told police he was a “murdering piece of s***”.
Alek Minassian faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 of attempted murder in connection with the 2018 attack in the Canadian city.
The 27-year-old is in court for a pre-trial motion hearing.
Hi lawyer, Boris Bytensky, is fighting over the admissibility of a statement that Minassian gave to police shortly after his arrest.
As part of a standard set of questions, the booking officer had asked Minassian if he had any illnesses.
"Yes. I am a murdering piece of s***," Minassian said.
The defence conceded Minassian made that statement, but argues his constitutional rights were violated.
Minassian told police shortly after the attack that he carried it out in retribution for years of sexual rejection and ridicule by women.
Eight women and two men ranging in age from 22 to 94 died in the attack on April 23, 2018.
Prosecutor John Rinaldi read out an agreed statement of facts between the prosecution and defence.
"While driving the van in the said area, (Minassian) drove his van into, or otherwise struck, at least 26 people, 10 of those people were killed and 16 injured to various degrees," Mr Rinaldi said.
Several victims and families of those who died in the attack were in the courtroom.
Some wiped tears away and others stared at Minassian when the video showed him making that statement to police.
Minassian later told police in a lengthy interview after the attack that he carried it out in retribution for years of sexual rejection and ridicule by women.
He told a detective that he was part of the so-called "incel movement," which is a fringe internet subculture that attracts males who are involuntarily celibate.
Minassian told Detective Rob Thomas that he saw himself on the bottom rung of society as an incel, and wanted to be part of an "uprising" in an effort to change his societal status.
"This is the day of retribution," Minassian told Mr Thomas.
He also told the detective he had "accomplished" his mission.
Minassian conceded that interview in court on Thursday, which will now form part of the agreed facts in the case.
The judge has said the case will turn on Minassian's state of mind at the time of the attack, not whether he did it.
Agencies contributed to this report.
